Several prominent tech leaders, including Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, and Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, are scheduled to attend US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, according to sources familiar with the event’s planning. This marks a significant moment as top executives from the tech industry, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, are also expected to be in attendance. The move signals ongoing engagement between the tech sector and the incoming administration, despite various regulatory and political challenges that have shaped recent interactions between Silicon Valley and the US government.
The participation of these influential figures has attracted attention, especially given the politically charged atmosphere surrounding Trump’s presidency. While there have been tensions between Big Tech companies and the outgoing administration, with issues like data privacy, antitrust concerns, and platform regulation, the CEOs’ attendance at the inauguration may reflect an attempt to foster relationships with the new president and his team.
Apple has not yet responded to a request for comment on the reports of Tim Cook’s attendance, and the full list of attendees is still evolving. The inauguration will serve as a crucial occasion for shaping future dialogues between the tech sector and government officials. The presence of these key leaders also raises questions about how the next administration will approach regulations affecting the rapidly evolving technology industry.
TikTok is preparing to shut down its US operations on Sunday unless a federal ban is averted at the last minute, according to sources. The ban, stemming from a law signed last April, requires TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US assets by January 19 or face nationwide restrictions. The Supreme Court is currently deliberating on whether to uphold or pause the ban, but no ruling has been made yet.
President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office the day after the ban would take effect, is reportedly considering a temporary suspension of the shutdown. However, legal uncertainty clouds the possibility of such action. Meanwhile, the Biden administration, in its final days, has signalled it will not block the ban without a credible divestment plan from ByteDance. TikTok has argued that the law violates First Amendment rights and warned that a prolonged ban could lead to significant user loss and global disruptions to its services.
If the ban proceeds, TikTok plans to display a pop-up message informing users of the shutdown and allow them to download their data. The app would become largely inoperable as US companies would no longer be permitted to provide critical services for its maintenance. TikTok has emphasised its ability to restore operations quickly if the ban is reversed but warned that the shutdown would impact not just American users but its global platform due to its reliance on US-based infrastructure.
The political and legal standoff has sparked widespread public and corporate reactions. Social media users have expressed disappointment at the impending ban, while TikTok’s US operations, employing over 7,000 workers, hang in the balance. Despite ongoing efforts to delay the enforcement, the platform faces an uncertain future as Sunday’s deadline looms.
Several chip and manufacturing industry groups have criticised the Biden administration’s new export controls, arguing they were implemented without sufficient consultation. A private letter sent to President Joe Biden on January 13 expressed concerns that the rules could harm US companies and shift market share to global competitors.
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and SEMI, representing chipmakers and manufacturing equipment firms, objected to the new licensing requirements for AI chip exports, including advanced high-bandwidth memory. They argued the lack of public input ignored the regulations’ economic and international consequences.
High-bandwidth memory, essential for AI chip production, is primarily manufactured by US and South Korean companies. The new rules could restrict its sale to China, further tightening controls on advanced technology exports.
A separate source suggested the restrictions may also affect companies like Lam Research, which previously benefited from a rule interpretation allowing expanded sales in China. Neither the SIA, SEMI, nor Lam Research commented immediately.
Taiwan’s government has expressed confidence in its management of AI chip exports following the island’s exemption from new US restrictions. Officials stated the exclusion should reassure partners about the country’s legal compliance and export controls.
The US announced stricter AI chip export measures this week, limiting shipments to most countries while continuing a ban on China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Taiwan remains a ‘tier one’ partner, enjoying unrestricted access to US AI technology. Taiwan’s Economy Ministry emphasised efforts to help local businesses stay informed about evolving export regulations.
Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker and a key supplier for Nvidia. The government, alert to Beijing’s claims over the island, maintains strict export controls to China and has vowed to enforce US restrictions. TSMC suspended shipments to a Chinese company last year after a chip was illegally integrated into Huawei technology.
Huawei has faced US trade bans since 2019 due to national security concerns, with companies restricted from selling technology to the Chinese firm without a special licence.
The US Justice Department has removed malware from over 4,200 computers worldwide in an operation targeting a hacking group linked to the Chinese government. The malware, known as ‘PlugX,’ was used to steal information and compromise systems across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Investigators identified the cybercriminals behind the attack as ‘Mustang Panda’ and ‘Twill Typhoon,’ groups believed to have received financial support from China.
Court documents filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania allege that the Chinese government paid Mustang Panda to develop PlugX. The malware has been active since at least 2014 and was used not only to target governments and businesses but also Chinese political dissidents. Officials described the operation as a critical step in neutralising cyber threats backed by foreign states.
Authorities emphasised the growing risks posed by state-sponsored hacking groups and their ability to infiltrate global networks. The Justice Department remains committed to dismantling cyber threats and preventing adversaries from exploiting sensitive information. The scale of the attack highlights the persistent threat of cyber espionage and the need for international cooperation in addressing cybersecurity challenges.
The US Supreme Court will hear a challenge on Wednesday regarding a Texas law that mandates adult websites verify the age of users before granting access to potentially harmful material. The law, which is part of a broader trend across Republican-led states, requires users to submit personal information proving they are at least 18 years old to access pornographic content. The case raises significant First Amendment concerns, as adult entertainment industry groups argue that the law unlawfully restricts free speech and exposes users to risks such as identity theft and data breaches.
The challengers, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Free Speech Coalition, contend that alternative methods like content-filtering software could better protect minors without infringing on adults’ rights to access non-obscene material. Texas, however, defends the law, citing concerns over the ease with which minors can access explicit content online.
This case is significant because it will test the balance between state efforts to protect minors from explicit content and the constitutional rights of adults to access protected expression. If the Supreme Court upholds the law, it could set a precedent for similar age-verification measures across the US.
Nvidia has made its first investment in a Taiwanese startup by backing MetAI, a company specialising in AI-powered digital twins. MetAI raised $4 million in a seed funding round that also attracted several strategic investors, including Kenmec Mechanical Engineering and SparkLabs Taiwan.
The startup focuses on creating ‘SimReady’ digital twins, converting CAD files into realistic 3D environments within minutes. These virtual replicas are essential for training robots and building autonomous systems before their real-world deployment. Nvidia views this as a critical step in advancing its industrial AI platform, Omniverse.
MetAI claims its technology significantly reduces the time needed to build virtual simulations, making AI-driven automation more efficient. With plans to expand into the US, the company is eyeing markets with high operational costs and a growing need for digital solutions. MetAI’s collaboration with Nvidia is expected to set new standards for industries such as manufacturing and robotics.
TikTok has reassured its 7,000 US employees that their jobs, pay, and benefits will remain secure even if the Supreme Court upholds a law requiring the sale or ban of the platform in the United States. In an internal memo seen by Reuters, the company emphasised its commitment to employee wellbeing and maintaining operations, despite the looming January 19 deadline for the law to take effect.
The law, passed in April, targets the US operations of TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, amid concerns over data security and national security. Although President-elect Donald Trump has called for an extension to seek a ‘political resolution,’ the Supreme Court appears inclined to uphold the legislation. If the court does not intervene, TikTok downloads from app stores will be banned, and the app’s functionality could degrade over time as companies are prohibited from supporting its services.
TikTok’s leadership stated that the law impacts only the US user experience, not the employment of its staff, and reaffirmed its dedication to protecting employees and the platform’s 170 million American users. ‘Our leadership team remains laser-focused on planning for various scenarios and navigating the path forward,’ the memo said.
For now, TikTok’s offices will remain open, and the company continues to explore strategies to adapt to the evolving situation while ensuring continuity for its employees and users.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk, accusing him of delaying the disclosure of his 2022 Twitter stake, which violated federal securities laws. According to the complaint, Musk waited 11 days beyond the required 10-day window to reveal his 5% ownership of Twitter, enabling him to purchase over $500 million worth of shares at lower prices before disclosing his 9.2% stake on April 4, 2022. Twitter’s stock price surged by more than 27% following the announcement.
The SEC seeks civil penalties and a repayment of profits it claims Musk gained unfairly. Musk’s attorney, Alex Spiro, dismissed the lawsuit as a ‘sham,’ arguing it stems from a minor administrative oversight. Musk has previously clashed with the SEC, including a 2018 settlement over misleading tweets about taking Tesla private, which resulted in a $20 million fine and other conditions.
This lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges Musk faces over his $44 billion purchase of Twitter, now rebranded as X. Musk, who is worth $417 billion, according to Forbes, has also been sued by former Twitter shareholders in Manhattan federal court for the delayed disclosure, which they claim caused them financial harm. The SEC’s action comes just days before Chair Gary Gensler’s scheduled departure, marking another chapter in Musk’s contentious history with the regulatory body.
A massive data breach has hit Gravy Analytics, a major US location data broker, compromising precise smartphone location data and internal company information. Hackers claim to have gained access to the company’s systems since 2018, exposing sensitive coordinates that track individuals’ movements. The stolen data includes customer details from prominent firms like Uber, Apple, and government contractors.
Gravy Analytics, through its subsidiary Venntel, has previously sold large amounts of location data to US government agencies. The breach highlights significant security lapses, with the stolen data now at risk of being sold on the dark web. The precise latitude and longitude records could put individuals, especially those in vulnerable positions, in danger.
The incident has sparked fresh scrutiny over data brokers, who often collect and sell sensitive information with little transparency. In December, the FTC moved to restrict Gravy Analytics from selling location data except in cases of national security or law enforcement. Critics argue that these companies prioritise profits over privacy and have called for stricter regulations to hold them accountable.
